‘So am I.’
47
JOE
‘Quickly, before Sandra gets to the table,’ he whispered, ‘I think we’re right that the pair of them have become much closer. Watch how they react to each other.’
He watched Skye as she thought about what he had just said. ‘The way each smiled when the other spoke is a bit of a giveaway too, unless it was about something sad. Oh, I think you’re right.’
He smiled at her then frowned. ‘You wouldn’t mind that happening, would you?’
‘Of course not. They both deserve to be happy. It’s not as if Mum is around to mind and anyway her relationship with my father was over twenty-five years ago, so it’s not as if she should have an opinion either way.’
‘I suppose so.’
Sandra waved at a couple on a nearby table as she walked past, then reaching them pulled out her chair and sat, hanging the strap of her bag onto the back of her seat. ‘Sorry I was a little while. I bumped into a friend I haven’t seen for ages. We’ve arranged to meet up for coffee one day this week.’
‘That’s nice.’
Sandra looked thoughtfully at Skye then Joe. ‘Have I missed much?’
‘Not really,’ Joe said, not wishing to give information that was Skye’s to share.
He wondered whether Skye would cave in and admit the subject of their conversation. ‘We were talking about you and Carlos.’ She smiled. ‘Joe and I suspect there might be a little romance going on between you both. Would we be right?’
Sandra’s gaze flew to where Carlos was standing and Joe could tell she was happy he and Skye had discovered their secret.
‘I think I should wait for Carlos to come back to the table before saying anything.’ She laughed. ‘But I won’t deny you could be right.’
‘Did I hear someone mention my name?’
Joe hadn’t noticed him returning to join them but was glad he had. He waited for Sandra to explain what they had been saying as Carlos took his seat. He listened to her, not looking remotely bothered, Joe was relieved to note.
‘I see,’ Carlos said eventually. ‘You wouldn’t mind, would you, Skye?’
She shook her head vehemently. ‘No, of course I wouldn’t. In fact I’d be really happy to know the pair of you had found each other again thanks to Joe and I inadvertently bringing you together.’
‘I’m glad,’ Carlos said, smiling at her.
Relief washed through Joe. There had been a few times when he had worried that by taking on this quest of Skye’s he might inadvertently disrupt other people’s lives, but this was a wonderful result.
‘We’ve been talking too,’ Carlos said, putting his arm loosely across the top of Sandra’s chair. ‘We know you’re going to be returning to Edinburgh soon, Skye.’
‘That’s right,’ she said.
‘Obviously Sandra and I need to see where this fledgling relationship of ours leads us, but we both agree that we would love for you to come back sometime soon and spend more time getting to know us both.’
‘Yes,’ Sandra agreed. ‘I’ll dig out my old photo albums and see if I can find any other pictures of our time with Annie for you.’
‘That would be amazing,’ Skye said, turning and giving Joe a beaming smile that made his stomach flip over. ‘I couldn’t bear to lose contact with either of you now I’ve found you both.’
‘That make me very happy,’ Carlos said.
‘Me, too.’ Sandra took Skye’s hand in hers and smiled at her. ‘Your mum would be very proud of the young woman you’ve become, Skye. I hope you know that?’
Skye swallowed and for a moment Joe worried that she might cry. She seemed to gather herself quickly. ‘Gran tells me that occasionally, but I often feel that she’s doing it to be kind. Coming from you, it feels more like something I can take at face value.’
‘Well, I truly believe it.’
